.... and where do you get your foam?   We have quite a few members from Australia and I bet if they are close to you would love to know.

I will have to find the name of the company.  They are based halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Well folks, after deciding I needed to stop playing video games and do something productive, I started my first puppet last night. I used a single stitch sewing method, and it worked great! So far I have the body done, and I've cut out the mouth area. I hope to finish him up with the mouth board, eyes, nose, ears, and stuffing the arms.

I hope the cardboard I'm using for the mouth board is strong enough

I'll try and post photos of the work in progress soon.

Well folks, after deciding I needed to stop playing video games and do something productive...

Hahaha...  sorry but that is exactly what I started thinking...  Got an Xbox for Xmas from the missus...  Haven't stopped playing it since.

Link no longer available.Cardboard will work, but you are right in your assumption that it may not hold up over time.  Common materials that people like to use that is better would be Sintra or gasket rubber. Sintra is a product that sign companies use to make quick cheap signs.  Gasket rubber is what it sounds like and can often be found in hardware stores in sheets that are intended to be cut in to custom gaskets.


If your looking for things on the cheap have a look in your trash bin. Plastic lids for larger containers can be cut and used. Products like Coolwhip or Folgers Coffee.

Hahaha...  sorry but that is exactly what I started thinking...  Got an Xbox for Xmas from the missus...  Haven't stopped playing it since.

Glad I'm not the only one

Link no longer available.Cardboard will work, but you are right in your assumption that it may not hold up over time.  Common materials that people like to use that is better would be Sintra or gasket rubber. Sintra is a product that sign companies use to make quick cheap signs.  Gasket rubber is what it sounds like and can often be found in hardware stores in sheets that are intended to be cut in to custom gaskets.


If your looking for things on the cheap have a look in your trash bin. Plastic lids for larger containers can be cut and used. Products like Coolwhip or Folgers Coffee.

I might go for the plastic lid idea.

I was going to use styrofoam eyes, like the foam balls you get at craft stores. I'm going for a muppet look. Think that's a mistake?

Styrofoam balls can work fine but I normally try to cover them with either some layers of papermache' or in a fabric like felt. The reason is that they are easy to crush if you don't.  I prefer the papermache' method mostly because I can then paint them easily and even make them shiny if I want. If you can find them at the craft store they often have stryo balls that are denser. Often they are used to make Christmas ornaments. If you can find those they are better.  Also look for clear plastic balls and eggs that come apart. They are also intended for making ornaments and can be painted on the inside to make eyes. Note you have to paint them backwards. In other words you paint the pupil then the iris then the white of the eye.

Styrofoam balls can work fine but I normally try to cover them with either some layers of papermache' or in a fabric like felt. The reason is that they are easy to crush if you don't.  I prefer the papermache' method mostly because I can then paint them easily and even make them shiny if I want. If you can find them at the craft store they often have stryo balls that are denser. Often they are used to make Christmas ornaments. If you can find those they are better.  Also look for clear plastic balls and eggs that come apart. They are also intended for making ornaments and can be painted on the inside to make eyes. Note you have to paint them backwards. In other words you paint the pupil then the iris then the white of the eye.

Cool, I'll look for something plastic at Michaels tonight.

How would you attach something like that to the puppet? I currently have a furry puppet.